Dear Friends,
On 20th of April 2017, the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup in Estonia was launched in Tapa. Five years later our eFP Battlegroup is a successful example of Allied solidarity and collective defence commitment.
The hard and noble work of thousands of Estonian, British, French, Danish, Belgian soldiers and the Icelandic contribution gives us a Battlegroup that is militarily credible and combat-ready. These troops are also interoperable. They know the Estonian terrain and how to defend our nation and the whole alliance thanks to daily trainings and frequent exercises.
Allied presence is especially crucial and appreciated today, when we see Russia’s terrible war in Ukraine.
However, our security is not a done deal in today’s security situation.
Estonia takes defence seriously and invests significantly to improve our readiness.
We also need to take steps forward with our eFP. We must bolster it in size and also in capabilities to send a clear message to Russia.
Today we celebrate freedom, democracy, common values, friendship, and cooperation that our states are lucky to have. It is great to know that Estonia will never be alone again!
A heartfelt thank you to all our Allies for your service!
Kalle Laanet
Minister of Defence